Emergency Management News

The Forsyth County Local Emergency Planning Committee and Citizen Corps Council has received the first-ever "Citizen Corps Council of the Year" award from the North Carolina Citizen Corps. The award was presented March 7 at the North Carolina Citizen Corps Conference at Sunset Beach.

The Citizen Corps Council was created in response to the terrorist events of September 11, 2001, to promote public education and outreach, training, and volunteer service within communities across the nation. Citizen Corps Councils promote citizen participation and help coordinate the five Citizen Corps programs: The Medical Reserve Corps, Fire Corps, Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT), USA on Watch and Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS).

Dave Gerelus, the chairman of the Forsyth County Citizen Corps Council, said, "We are truly pleased to have received the very first annual award and we plan to continue our efforts to educate and prepare our community."

The Forsyth County Local Emergency Planning Committee and Citizen Corps Council coordinate North Carolina’s largest National Preparedness Month event, "Emergency Preparedness Night with the Warthogs" at Ernie Shore Field in Winston-Salem. The event has taken place at the end of August for the past two years to kick off the observance of National Preparedness Month in September. The 2008 Emergency Preparedness event will take place August 22.

For more information about the Citizen Corps Council or to volunteer, call the Emergency Management office at 767-6161.